The creators of an anti-bullying Kindle e-book and iOS app are attempting to raise $100,000 and donate all sales to organizations supporting National Bullying Prevention month, which starts Tuesday.
"Bullies: Playground Push-Around" has received multiple childrens awards, including a Mom's Choice award, billing itself as the only dyslexia-friendly e-book in the Kindle store, with font designed to enhance the reading and perception of letters and words.
The story revolves around a young girl named Maya, who deals with cruel kids who repeatedly verbally abuse and pick on her based on her appearance.
The e-book was released by Neon Tiki Tribe, a small publisher focusing on children's books highlighting everyday problems like bullying, telling the truth, protecting the environment and never giving up. If you buy the e-book on Amazon for $2.99, or the App Store for $1.99, every penny will go to charity. The company's goal is to raise and donate $100,000 to Bullying UK, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, Stomp Out Bullying and the Pacer Center. The campaign will run for the whole month of October.
"We believe if we can help children when they are younger, we can get ahead of the problem, build their self esteem, and really make a difference in their lives," said Neon Tiki Tribe co-founder Greg Devlin.
An estimated 160,000 students miss school every day out of fear of being bullied, according to the National Education Association. More startling numbers include: 90% of 4th through 8th graders identify themselves as victims of bullying ; and every 30 minutes a teenager attempts suicide due to bullying.
The e-book's author, April Sopczak told, Mashable this issue hits close to home "because I was a nerdy little kid with buck teeth and coke bottle glasses. I got teased quite a bit and it took me a long time to learn to stand up for myself and be comfortable in my own skin."
Years later, Sopczak says she's using the e-book as a tool to give back and help youth.
"One mom said that she read the book to her daughter who had just had braces put on that day," she says. "After reading the story, the little girl opened up to her mom about how scared she was to wear them to school. The mom had no idea, and was able to help her daughter because of the story."
To learn more about this campaign, or to ask the e-book's author about specifics of overcoming bullying or how you can help donate, join April Sopczak for a Reddit AMA on Friday, Oct. 4, from 11 to 1 p.m. ET.
Images: The Neon Tiki Tribe, Kris Connor/Getty Images for The Weinstein Company
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